Neuroimaging and Violence

Neuroanatomical correlates of aggressiveness: a case–control voxel- and surface-based morphometric study

“…The ACC, also a prefrontal structure, is part of the emotion regulation circuitry (Bogerts et al 2017 ). Structural changes in this limbic region have been repeatedly associated with aggressive/antisocial behavior or psychopathic traits (Koenigs 2012 ; Rosell and Siever 2015 ; Smith et al 2016 ; Raine 2019 ). The precuneus and the posterior cingulate gyrus are parietal structures that are both part of the default mode network.…”

“…In particular, studies of the brain morphology in aggressive populations can provide evidence for causality and offer information about mechanisms that contribute to the maintenance of aggressive behavior (Schiffer et al 2011 ). These studies have pointed to morphological differences underlying aggression in several brain structures, particularly the frontal and temporal lobes (Kumari et al 2014 ; Bannon et al 2015 ; Dambacher et al 2015a ; Peper et al 2015 ; Smith et al 2016 ), which are involved in emotion processing and behavior regulation (Rosell and Siever 2015 ; Leutgeb et al 2016 ). In particular, the prefrontal cortex (PFC), especially the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the medial temporal cortex, the amygdala, the basal ganglia, and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) show structural and/or functional changes that appear to be strongly associated with aggressive behavior (Rosell and Siever 2015 ; Leutgeb et al 2016 ).…”

Aberrant brain gray matter in murderers

“…A large and growing body of research highlights the roles of frontal, temporal, limbic, and paralimbic brain circuits for promoting and regulating aggression, antisocial behavior, and disinhibited behavior more generally. This work has provided some insight into the deficits exhibited by individuals with a propensity for even the most extreme violence (Bannon, Salis, & O'Leary, 2015;Rosell & Siever, 2015;Smith, Smith, & Misquitta, 2016). Some of the earliest functional neuroimaging studies that examined homicide offenders concluded that murderers were characterized by reduced activity in brain areas including lateral and medial prefrontal cortex (Raine, Buchsbaum, & LaCasse, 1997;Raine et al, 1994;Raine et al, 1998), as well as medial temporal regions, including the amygdala, and extended temporal and parietal regions (Raine et al, 1997;Raine et al, 1998).…”